Fire crews respond to blaze at Mitre 10 Mega in West Auckland

Fire crews rushed the Mitre 10 Mega in Westgate on Saturday night after reports of a fire. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Fire crews from all around Auckland responded a blaze in West Auckland on Saturday night, which has now been extinguished.

Seventeen fire trucks and crews rushed to the fire at the Mitre 10 Mega in the suburb of Westgate, near Massey, just before 7pm.

A photographer said fire crews wearing breathing apparatus were entering the building.

An emergency controller told the Herald responding crews found the building heavily smoke-logged.

After entering the building, they found a fire in some pallets inside the premises.

“The fire was contained quickly by crews and the sprinkler system.”

Firefighters wearing breathing gear entered the smoke-logged building to extinguish the fire. Photo / Hayden Woodward

The building was being ventilated and a fire investigator was attending the scene.

A northern fire communications spokesman earlier confirmed Fire and Emergency New Zealand was alerted to the situation after receiving two automatic fire alarms at a commercial building in Westgate.

“On arrival, we found the building to be heavily smoke-logged.”

A total of 17 fire trucks from across the city responded to the fire, which reached a third alarm in severity.

The trucks included ladder appliances, the spokesman said.

Asked if anyone was inside the building at the time or if any injuries had been reported, he said there were no indications of that at this stage.

Seventeen fire trucks responded to the blaze at Mitre 10 Mega in Westgate, West Auckland. Photo / Hayden Woodward

No other buildings were in danger, he said.

The building is 200m by 80m.

Fire crews were sent from West Harbour, Kumeū, Te Atatū, Auckland City, Henderson, Parnell, Avondale, Greenhithe and Ellerslie.

Mitre 10 New Zealand CEO Andrea Scown confirmed no one was in the store at the time, and no one had been injured.

“The cause and the extent of the fire is not yet known and is currently under investigation. As a result, the Westgate store will be closed tomorrow [Sunday],” Scown said.

An on-duty pharmacist close told RNZ he heard the sirens and fire trucks after 7pm but couldn’t see any flames.

Firefighters from across Auckland contained the fire in some pallets at Mitre 10 Westgate. Photo / Hayden Woodward

The pharmacist said he could see an aerial appliance had its ladder in the air but he couldn’t see any water going onto the building.

Police said they had been asked to assist at a fire in Westgate.

“We’ll most likely be supporting with traffic control if required. No other details yet.”

More to come

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